Nitta Shrine

In detail

This shrine is situated on a sacred place of worship related to the ancient indigenous religion. In the past, the entire forest in the area was regarded as sacred. Today, the site enshrines a deity that is venerated as a god of fertility and easy childbirth. Arata Shrine’s powers are highly regarded among the people of Tokunoshima, which boasts the highest childbirth rate in Japan and has been called the “Island of Treasured Children.”

Praying for Fertility

The town of Isen has the highest birth rate on Tokunoshima, a fact that attracts couples who are eager to have more children. In the past, worshipers would bring sand from Kinenbama Beach to place on the stone shelf where a phallic sculpture once stood, just to the left of the Arata Shrine sanctuary. Word of the shrine’s benefits gradually spread among islanders and other visitors.